Insulation board

ABSTRACT

An insulation board includes an array of elements such as domes, pyramids, or frustrums coupled to a top surface of a body. These elements are arranged to lie in rows and columns to define fluid flow passageways to promote fluid drainage away from a building containing the insulation board.

[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/190,980, filed Mar. 21, 2000 and to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/266,547, filed Feb. 5, 2001, both of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to water-drainage and insulation systems for buildings, and particularly to an insulation board for use in such systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to a polystyrene building insulation board.

[0003] According to the present invention, an insulation board for use in construction is provided for fluid drainage away from a building. The insulation board includes a body having a top surface and a bottom surface. The insulation board further includes frustums coupled to the top surface of the body and arranged to lie in rows and columns. Each frustum includes a base portion coupled to the top surface of the body and a tip portion spaced apart from the top surface of the body. The insulation board further includes fluid flow passageways positioned to lie between the frustums.

[0004] In other embodiments, the insulation board includes an array of domes coupled to the body. The fluid flow passageways are positioned to lie between the domes. Similar to the frustums, each dome includes a base portion coupled to the top surface of the body and a tip portion spaced-apart from the top surface of the body. Further each dome includes a side wall coupled to the base portion and the tip portion and formed to converge inwardly from the base portion to the tip portion. In further embodiments, the insulation board includes an array of right cylinders coupled to the top surface of the body to provide fluid flow passageways therebetween. In still other embodiments, the insulation board includes an array of alternating pyramids and blocks coupled to the top surface of the body to define flow passageways therebetween.

[0005] Features of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:

[0007]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a polystyrene insulation board of the present invention showing the insulation board having a body including four sides, an array of pyramid frustums coupled to the body, and a flat edge or ship-lap edge coupled to two of the four sides of the body;

[0008]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an alternate insulation board of the present invention similar to the insulation board of FIG. 1 showing the alternate board including the body and the array of pyramid frustums coupled to the body, one ship-lap edge coupled to each side of the body, and further showing the array of pyramid frustums positioned to lie at a 45 degree angle with respect to the sides of the body to form a “diagonal” pattern on the body;

[0009]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the insulation board of FIG. 1 showing one ship-lap edge and the array of pyramid frustums comprising columns and rows of multiple adjacent pyramid frustums each including four angled side walls and a flat top;

[0010]FIG. 4 is a top view of a portion of the insulation board of FIGS. 1 and 3 showing a “V-shaped” water-drainage channel of the insulation board formed between each column and row of pyramid frustums at a point where the angled walls of adjacent pyramid frustums meet;

[0011]FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4 showing the point at which the angled walls of adjacent pyramid frustums meet to form the V-shaped water-drainage channel between;

[0012]FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a first above-ground use of the insulation board used in an Exterior Insulation and Finish System (EIFS) attached to an outside surface of a frame of a building shown to include cement blocks, a sill plate, a stud, and a substrate material covering the stud, for example, the insulation board being shown to rest upon a foundation of the building in an inward position so that the array of pyramid frustums is positioned to face the frame, and further showing two exterior finish boards coupled to a bottom surface of the insulation board, and finally showing a weep hole or space formed between the bottom of the insulation board and a flashing positioned to lie adjacent to the foundation for drainage of water and moisture which may collect between the frame and the insulation board;

[0013]FIG. 7 is a sectional view, similar to FIG. 6, showing the insulation board in a second, below-grade use as a “foundation board” adjacent a concrete foundation where the insulation board is shown in an outward position so that the array of pyramid frustums is positioned to face away from the frame, and a porous fabric material or “geo-membrane” is coupled the array of pyramid frustums to prevent the dirt from clogging the water-drainage channels of the insulation board and to drain any water and moisture away from the frame without the use of a weep hole;

[0014]FIG. 8 is view similar to FIG. 7 showing the insulation board again used as a foundation board and shown in the inward position;

[0015]FIG. 9 is a side view of an alternate insulation board showing the insulation board including a body similar to the insulation board shown in FIGS. 1-8 and an array of domes coupled to the body to provide multiple water drainage channels or paths;

[0016]FIG. 10 is a top view of the insulation board of FIG. 9 showing the water drainage channels or paths formed by the array of domes;

[0017]FIG. 11 is a side view of the insulation board of FIGS. 9 and 10 showing the insulation board coupled to the substrate material with a mechanical fastener so that an apex of each dome is adjacent to and in contact with the substrate material thus providing a space or separation between the body of the board and the substrate material which defines the water drainage channels or paths;

[0018]FIG. 12 is a side view of yet another insulation board showing the insulation board including an array of square blocks coupled to the body of the board;

[0019]FIG. 13 is a top view of the insulation board of FIG. 12 showing the water drainage channels or paths formed by the square blocks;

[0020]FIG. 14 is a side view of yet another insulation board showing the insulation board including right cylinders coupled to the body of the board;

[0021]FIG. 15 is a top view of the insulation board of FIG. 14;

[0022]FIG. 16 is a side view of yet another insulation board showing the board including a combination array of alternating rows of square pyramids and square blocks each spaced apart from one another; and

[0023]FIG. 17 is a top view of the insulation board of FIG. 16.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] An insulation board 10 is provided for use in construction to drain water and moisture, which may collect, away from a building (not shown) being constructed, for example. Insulation board 10 is made from expanded polystyrene (EPS) and is formed to include a body 12 and an array of pyramid frustums 14 coupled to body 10. Body 10 includes a top surface 16, a bottom surface 18, and four sides 20, 22, 24, and 26, as shown in FIG. 1. Array 14 is coupled to top surface 16 of body 10. In a preferred embodiment, the dimensions of insulation board 10 are 2′×4′×2″ where sides 20 and 24 are two feet, sides 22 and 26 are four feet, and an overall thickness, T, of each side 20, 22, 24, 26 is two inches. This size is representative of the industry standard. It is within the scope of this disclosure, however, to include an insulation board having different dimensions than those provided above.

[0025] Array 14 is made up of multiple, individual pyramid frustums 30, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. A frustum is herein defined as the part of a pyramid formed by cutting off the top by a plane parallel to the base. It is also within the scope of this disclosure to include a frustum formed from the base part of a solid cone. Pyramid frustums 30 of the present invention are arranged in rows and columns to form a grid. Each pyramid frustum 30 includes four angled walls 32 and a “square-shaped” flat top 34. Each pyramid frustum 30 further includes a base portion 36 and a tip portion 38, as shown in FIG. 5. Angled walls 32 are coupled to the base portion 36 and tip portion 38 and are formed to converge inwardly toward each other from the base portion 36 to the tip portion 38 so that base portion 36 has a wider width 40 than a width 42 of peak portion 38, as shown in FIG. 4. Therefore, base portion 36 has a surface area, S1, greater than a surface area, S2, of tip portion 38.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment, the dimensions of width 40 and width 42 are one inch and ½ inch, respectively. Further, it is preferred that a height, h, of each frustum 30, as shown in FIG. 5 be no less than ¼ inch. It is within the scope of this disclosure, however, to include pyramid frustums 30 having different specifications than the ones provided above. It is also within the scope of this disclosure to include an insulation board having an array or grid of components of various shapes and sizes other than pyramid frustums 30, as provided. The one inch width 40 of each frustum 30 is a preferred base dimension for all geometric profiles disclosed herein; however, it is within the scope of this disclosure to include any width 40 for any geometric profile. The overall thickness, T, of insulation board 10, including body 12 and any geometric profile coupled to body 12 which creates a separation from top surface 16 to facilitate flow of a liquid on a sloped or vertical plane, is preferred to be, but not limited to, 2 inches, as shown in FIG. 3. As further shown in FIG. 3, overall thickness, T, is equal to a thickness, t, of body 12 of insulation board 10 plus height, h, of frustums 30.

[0027] Insulation board 10 further includes one or more ship-lap edges 28 coupled to side 20 and side 24. Ship-lap edges 28 are provided so that each insulation board 10 is able to couple with another insulation board 10 at each ship-lap edge 28. The overlapping effect of ship-lap edges 28 also offers extra protection from wind and water infiltration. Each ship-lap edge 28 includes a lip 31 extending out from one of the four sides 22, 24, 26, 28 of board 10 and having a top face 33. As shown in FIG. 3, lip 31 is positioned to lie adjacent to bottom surface 18 of board 10. Side 22 of FIG. 1, however, shows ship-lap edge 28 extending from top surface 16 of board 10. Top face 33 of each lip 31 is adapted to lie adjacent to a corresponding top face 33 of ship-lap edge 28 of another board 10 when boards 10 are stacked vertically on top of each other so that side 20 of one board 10 and side 24 of another board 10 lie adjacent to each other and next to each other so that side 26 of one board 10 and side 22 of another board 10 lie adjacent to each other. Although the insulation board 10 of the present invention includes ship-lap edges 28, it is preferred for insulation board 10 to include flat or straight edges, as shown in FIG. 3 by side 26, for example. It is within the scope of this disclosure to manufacture an insulation board having either flat or straight edges, ship-lap edges, or a mixture of both.

[0028] Insulation board 10 further includes multiple “V-shaped” flow passageways or water-drainage channels 50 formed between the rows and columns of pyramid frustums 30, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Each water-drainage channel 50 is defined by angled walls 32 of pyramid frustums 30. Water-drainage channels 50 running between the rows and columns are formed to provide multiple paths through which the water or moisture that collects may flow. In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1, pyramid frustums 30 are positioned so that water-drainage channels 50 between the columns of pyramid frustums 30 are generally parallel to sides 22, 26 of body 12. In an alternate insulation board 110, shown in FIG. 2, pyramid frustums 30 are positioned so that water-drainage channels 50 run generally diagonally or at a 45 degree angle to sides 20, 22, 24, 26. Alternate insulation board 110 is further shown to include four ship-lap edges 28 coupled to each side 20, 22, 24, 26. Other features of board 110 are similar to the features of board 10 described above.

[0029] In a first use, insulation board 10 may be used with an Exterior Insulation Finish System (EIFS), as shown in FIG. 6. In such a system, insulation board 10 is positioned to lie above-grade, or above a top surface 70 of the ground or dirt 72 and adjacent to a frame 60 of a building (not shown). Frame 60 may include cement blocks 62, a sill plate 64, a stud 66, and a substrate material 67 supported by stud 66, for example, as shown in FIG. 6. Commonly used substrate materials include plywood sheets, oriented strand board (OSB) and fiberboard, for example. Insulation board 10 is positioned to rest upon a foundation 68 in an inward position so that array of pyramid frustums 14 is positioned to face toward and abut frame 60. When insulation board 10 is in this inwardly facing position, array 14 causes body 12 of insulation board 10 to be spaced-apart from frame 60. In order to compensate for uneven surfaces on the exterior of the building or frame 60 it may be necessary to rasp or sand insulation board 10.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 6, foundation 68 is positioned to lie below grade or below a top surface 70 of the ground or dirt 72. Two exterior finish boards 74 are coupled to bottom surface 18 of insulation board 10. Finally, a weep hole 76 is provided between a bottom portion of insulation board 10 and a flashing 77. Flashing 77 is positioned to lie between cement blocks 62 and insulation board 10. Flashing 77 rests upon foundation 68 and is provided to allow the water and moisture (not shown) which may collect between frame 60 and insulation board 10 to drain away from frame 60 and onto dirt 72. Weep hole 76 is also positioned to lie between exterior finish boards 74 and flashing 77. When insulation board 10 is adjacent to frame 60, water-drainage channels 50 of insulation board 10 are positioned to lie in a generally vertical direction to allow water and moisture collected to run down water-drainage channels 50 and out weep hole 76 onto dirt 72 in order to collectively drain water and moisture away from frame 60.

[0031] A second application of insulation board 10 is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. In FIGS. 7 and 8, insulation board 10 is used as a “foundation board” and is positioned to lie adjacent concrete foundation 68. FIG. 7 shows insulation board 10 in an outward position so that array of pyramid frustums 14 faces outwardly and bottom surface 18 of insulation board 10 abuts foundation 68. Further, in this alternate application, insulation board 10 is positioned to lie below grade or below top surface 70 of dirt 72. A “geo-membrane” or fabric material 78 is provided and is coupled to array 14 in order to prevent dirt 72 from accumulating within water-drainage channels 50. In FIG. 7, insulation board 10 is also provided to drain water and moisture away from frame 60. The water and moisture is collected in water-drainage channels 50 and conducted through water-drainage channels 50 to drain into the dirt 72. Weep hole 76 is not provided or necessary because of the porous quality of fabric material 78 which allows the water and moisture that is collected to pass through fabric material 78 into the dirt 72.

[0032] A final application of insulation board 10 is provided in FIG. 8. Insulation board 10 is used as a foundation board, similar to FIG. 7, however, insulation board 10 is positioned to lie in the inward position so that array of pyramid frustums 14 faces and lies adjacent to frame 60. Insulation board 10 is situated to lie below grade or top surface 70 of dirt 72 to rest upon foundation 68. Although insulation board 10 is below grade, fabric membrane 78 is not needed because array 14 is faced toward frame 60 so that dirt 72 is not able to clog water-drainage channels 50. Weep hole 78 is not necessary for the drainage of water and moisture collected in water-drainage channels 50. The water and moisture collected runs down through water-drainage channels 50 into the dirt 72 below insulation board 10.

[0033] Additional insulation boards having alternate drainage patterns are provided in FIGS. 9-18. Each insulation board shown in FIGS. 9-18 is identical in structure and function to insulation board 10 with the exception that an alternate array is coupled to top surface 16 of each additional insulation board. Further, each additional insulation board is formed to cooperate with each of the systems shown in FIGS. 6-8 and described above.

[0034] As shown in FIGS. 9-11, for example, an alternate insulation board 111 includes body 12 and an array of domes 114 coupled to the top surface 16 of body 12. As shown in FIG. 10, array 114 includes multiple domes 130 positioned to lie in alternating rows to form water drainage channels or paths 150. It is within the scope of this disclosure, however, to include array 114 having domes 130 arranged to lie in aligned rows, rather than alternating rows.

[0035] Further, each dome 130 includes an apex 135 which lies adjacent to and in contact with substrate material 67, as shown in FIG. 11 to provide a space between body 12 of board 111 and substrate material 67 in order to form water drainage channels 150 when insulation board 111 is used in such a system as shown in FIG. 6. Each dome 130 also includes a base portion 136 coupled to top surface 16 and a tip portion 138 spaced-apart from top surface 16. Each dome 130 further includes a side wall 132 coupled to the base portion 136 and the tip portion 138 and formed to converge inwardly from the base portion 136 to the tip portion 138, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 11. Insulation board 111 is coupled to substrate material 67 by a mechanical fastener 113. Mechanical fastener 113 may also extend through substrate material 67 to couple insulation board 111 to stud 66, for example.

[0036] Another insulation board 210 is shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 which includes an array of square blocks 214 coupled to top surface 16 of body 12. Array 214 includes multiple square blocks 230 spaced apart to provide water drainage channels 250 between each block 230, as shown in FIG. 13. Yet another insulation board 310 is shown in FIGS. 14 and 15. Board 310 includes an array of right cylinders 314 coupled to top surface 16 of body 12. As shown in FIG. 15, array 314 is made up of multiple individual right cylinders 330 spaced apart and positioned to lie in alternating rows to form water drainage channels 350 therebetween. It is within the scope of this disclosure, however, to provide array 314 including cylinders 330 positioned to lie in aligned rows, rather than alternating rows, as well.

[0037] Still another insulation board 410 is provided in FIGS. 16 and 17. Insulation board 410 includes a combination array 414 of alternating rows of pyramids 430 and blocks 431. Array 414 forms water drainage channels or paths 450, as shown in FIG. 16. It is within the scope of this disclosure to include an insulation board having any type of combination array including any number of shapes or protrusions described herein. It is further within the scope of this disclosure for each of the arrays 14, 114, 214, 314, 414 to include components of any suitable shape and size which will provide a space or separation between the body 12 of each insulation board and the obstructions which each insulation board is place up against, such as substrate material 67, foundation 68, cement blocks 62, or fabric material 78, for example, in order to facilitate the flow of liquid through the formed water-drainage channels or paths when the insulation board is facing inwardly toward the building in a vertical or sloped position.

[0038] In a preferred embodiment each of the insulation boards 10, 110, 111, 210, 310, and 410 described above are formed using a shape-mold process. In the shape-mold process, a first and a second metal mold is provided. When each of the first and second metal molds are coupled to each other an enclosed cavity is formed. This cavity forms the same shape as any one of the insulation boards 10, 110, 111, 210, 310, or 410 depending upon the shape of each of the first and second metal molds. Once the first and second metal molds are in a closed position, steam injected EPS beads are inserted into the cavity to fill the cavity. After the cavity is filled and the EPS beads have conformed to the shape of the cavity, the first and second metal molds are moved to an open position spaced-apart from each other to provide the shape-molded insulation board. The shape-molding method can save manufacturing time and provide greater uniformity in each piece. Although, it is preferred for the insulation board of the present invention to be shape-molded, it is within this disclosure to include any method of manufacturing an insulation board including wire-cutting, for example.

[0039] Although this invention has been described in detail with reference to certain embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of the invention as described and defined in the following claims. 

1. An insulation board for use in construction and provided for fluid drainage away from a building, the insulation board comprising: a body having a top surface and a bottom surface, frustums coupled to the top surface of the body, each frustum having a base portion coupled to the top surface of the body and a tip portion spaced apart from the top surface of the body, and fluid flow passageways positioned to lie between the frustums.
 2. The insulation board of claim 1 , wherein the base portion and tip portion of each frustum includes four sides and each frustum further includes four angled side walls positioned to extend from the base to the tip.
 3. The insulation board of claim 2 , wherein the frustums are arranged in rows and columns and the base portion of each frustum is positioned to lie adjacent another base portion to cause the passageways to be “V-shaped” and defined by the angled walls of the frustums.
 4. The insulation board of claim 2 , wherein the body and the frustums are made from expanded polystyrene.
 5. The insulation board of claim 1 , wherein the base and tip of each frustum is generally circular.
 6. The insulation board of claim 2 , wherein the base portion includes a width, W1, and the peak portion includes a width, W2, and wherein W1 is greater than W2.
 7. The insulation board of claim 6 , wherein W1 is twice the value of W2.
 8. The insulation board of claim 6 , wherein W1 is one inch and W2 is one-half inch.
 9. The insulation board of claim 1 , wherein the insulation board further includes a ship-lap edge coupled to the body, the ship-edge being adapted to abut a ship-lap edge of another insulation board.
 10. The insulation board of claim 1 , wherein the body of the insulation board has a thickness, t, and each frustum has a height, h, and wherein t is greater than h.
 11. The insulation board of claim 10 , wherein h is at least ¼ of an inch.
 12. The insulation board of claim 10 , wherein an overall thickness, T, of the insulation board is equal to t plus h and wherein T is 2 inches and h is at least ¼ of an inch.
 13. The insulation board of claim 1 , wherein the tip of each frustum is adapted to abut the building to position the body of the insulation board in spaced-apart relation to the building.
 14. An insulation board for above-grade use is provided for the drainage of fluids away from a building, the insulation board comprising: a body having front surface and a back surface, an array of domes coupled to the front surface of the body and adapted to face toward the building, and flow passageways defined between each dome.
 15. The insulation board of claim 14 , wherein the domes are positioned to lie in alternating rows.
 16. The insulation board of claim 14 , wherein the each dome includes a base coupled to the front surface of the body and an apex adapted to lie adjacent to and in contact with a portion of the building.
 17. An insulation board provided for fluid drainage away from an exterior portion of a building, the insulation board comprising: a body having a top surface and a bottom surface, and protrusions coupled to the top surface of the body to form flow passageways therebetween, each protrusion having a base portion coupled to the top surface, a tip portion spaced-apart from the base portion, and a side wall coupled to the base portion and the tip portion and formed to converge inwardly from the base portion to the tip portion.
 18. The insulation board of claim 17 , wherein the protrusions are frustums positioned to lie in rows and columns.
 19. The insulation board of claim 18 , wherein the frustums and the body of the insulation board are made of expanded polystyrene.
 20. The insulation board of claim 18 , wherein the base portion and the tip portion of each frustum are square-shaped and wherein each frustum includes four angled side walls coupled to the base portion and the tip portion.
 21. The insulation board of claim 18 , wherein the base portion of each frustum is round in shape.
 22. The insulation board of claim 17 , wherein the base portion of each protrusion is round and each side wall is dome-shaped.
 23. An insulation board for use with a building to provide water-drainage, the insulation board comprising: a body including a front surface an da back surface, and protrusions coupled to the front surface of the body to form flow passageways between each protrusion, the protrusions each including a base portion coupled to the front surface of the body and a tip portion spaced-apart from the body, a cross-section of each tip portion taken through a plane parallel to the top surface of the body having a smaller surface area than a surface area of a cross-section of each base portion taken through a plane parallel to the top surface of the body.
 24. An insulation board is provided for draining fluids away from a building, the insulation board comprising: a body having top surface and a bottom surface, and an array of right cylinders coupled to the top surface of the body, the right cylinders being positioned in spaced-apart relation from one another to define flow passageways therebetween.
 25. An insulation board is provided for draining fluids away from a building, the insulation board comprising: a body having top surface and a bottom surface, and an array of alternating pyramids and blocks coupled to the top surface of the body and positioned in spaced-apart relation to one another to define flow passageways therebetween. 